1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the transfer of data over a Secure Socket Layer (SSL). More particularly, the invention is directed to a method and system for increasing data access in a secure socket layer network environment.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The Secure Socket Layer (SSL) protocol (see The SSL Protocol Version 3.0, http://www.netscape.com/eng/ssl3/draft302.txt) is presently the de facto industry standard for Web security. It is common for E-commerce applications which are based on the Web to employ the SSL protocol which is built into almost all Web servers and browsers, such as Netscape Enterprise Server, Microsoft Web Server, Netscape Communicator, and Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE).
The SSL protocol uses public key cryptography in conjunction with an X.509 certificate to provide server authentication and, optionally, client authentication. During the authentication process, the server sends its X.509 certificate chain which may or may not contain the root CA certificate to the client as part of the handshake messages the client and server exchange at the start of a session. The client validates the server's certificate through a normal certificate verification procedure if it has the server's certificate, it has the certification authority's (CA) certificate that signed the server's certificate, and it has associated trust information.
While SSL protocol provides for a secure way to transfer data, it currently restricts the way in which data can be transmitted. Currently, once the client and server establish a connection over SSL, it precludes other technology from acting on the data, e.g., terminating the SSL connection, further processing the de-encrypted data and then compressing the data, since the CA certificate from which the original SSL session was established with would be lost in so doing.
Accordingly, the data is unable to be accelerated through advanced compression technology. Rather, the data must be passed along without intervention. It is paramount to preserve the integrity of SSL protocol meaning that a private key on the server never be passed over the connection, rather only the public key be transmitted.
There remains therefore a need in the industry to accelerate data transfer using the SSL protocol. There also is a need to present the client with a proper CA certificate in order to assure a validated SSL protocol when performing acceleration or increasing data access over a SSL network environment.